Universal Pictures` two-part "Wicked" gamble continues to defy gravity at the box office. Just a year after part one brought droves of audiences to movie theaters around the country, even more people bought opening weekend tickets to see the epic conclusion, "Wicked: For Good." According to studio estimates on Sunday, "Wicked: For Good" earned $150 million from North American theaters in its first days in theaters and $226 million globally.

Not only is it the biggest opening ever for a Broadway musical adaptation, unseating the record set by the first film`s $112 million launch, it`s also the second biggest debut of the year behind "A Minecraft Movie`s" $162 million.

Universal began rolling out "Wicked: For Good" in theaters earlier this week, with previews on Monday ($6.1 million from 1,050 theaters) and Wednesday ($6.5 million from 2,300 theaters). By Friday it was playing in 4,115 North American locations and had raked in $68.6 million. IMAX showings accounted for $15.5 million, or 11%, of its domestic haul - a November record for the company.

IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond said in a statement that the strong market share shows, "our momentum carries into demos and genres beyond our traditional core, including families."

As with the first film, women powered opening weekend, making up around 71% of ticket buyers according to PostTrak exit polls. Critics were somewhat mixed on the final chapter, but audiences weren`t: An overwhelming 83% of audiences said it was one they would "definitely recommend" to friends.

Jon M. Chu directed both "Wicked" films, starring Cynthia Ervio and Ariana Grande. The first film made over $758.7 million worldwide and received 10 Oscar nominations (winning two, for costume and production design ). The question is how high "Wicked: For Good" can soar. Combined, the two films cost around $300 million to produce, not including marketing and promotion costs.

Two other films also opened in wide release this weekend, but further down on the charts behind a buffet of holdovers. Searchlight Pictures opened its Brendan Fraser film "Rental Family" in 1,925 theaters. The Finnish action film "Sisu: Road to Revenge," a Sony release, also played in 2,222 theaters.

Although this weekend the box office was more of a winner takes all scenario, "Wicked: For Good`s" success is vitally important for the exhibition industry as a whole as it enters the final weeks of the year. After the slow fall season, the Thanksgiving blockbusters could not arrive soon enough. Early next week, "Zootopia 2" enters the mix and is also expected to drive big crowds to the cineplex over the holiday break.